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Austin detective indicted in the deadly shooting of Larry Jackson Jr.

Former detective Charles Kleinert has been indicted on manslaughter charges.
Courtesy of KVUE News

KVUE — Two sources tell KVUE News that a Travis County grand jury has indicted former Austin police detective Charles Kleinert on manslaughter charges. Detective Kleinert shot and killed Larry Jackson Jr. in July 2013. Jackson's family had been pressing for a grand jury indictment for months.

Around 8 am on Monday, grand jurors and Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg began deliberations. Several family members testified before the grand jury in March.

With the help of a grassroots organization called the People's Task Force, Jackson's mother, stepfather and sister have been trying to keep his memory alive with several rallies.

The July 2013 incident started when Jackson approached the locked doors of a Central Austin bank that had been robbed hours earlier. Police say Kleinert tried to speak with Jackson, then chased him to a spot under the Shoal Creek Bridge. After a short struggle, the detective shot and killed Jackson. Jackson was not armed and was not a suspect in the bank robbery. Kleinert said his gun went off during the struggle, striking Jackson in the back of the neck.

Jackson's family has filed a federal lawsuit against the city. The indictment means Kleinert, who retired from the force in October, has to go to trial or settle out of court.